Cafe Magdalena, Elgin

We found this restaurant looking for Italian in Elgin. The name Magdalena throws you off at first thinking it's Mexican and not Italian. We love it ! Everything we've eaten has been great ! We brought friends and they also loved it !!! We just don't understand why it isn't more packed because we've been there several times and each time .....Very good! !!

My husband and I have been to this restaurant about 6 times. The food and ambiance has always been great. Most of the time we go on Saturdays when they have their musical entertainment.The musical entertainment is always great. These last two times the service was terrible. I know it is always busy on those days, but then they should have more servers. Both times we had a male server. Most of the time we got better service from the bus boys or other servers. We ordered an appetizer, a soup, salad, and an entree', and wine. It took a half an hour to get our first glass of wine. Then it took another half hour to place our food order. An hour later we got our main course but hadn't gotten our appetizer, soup, or salad. When I mentioned this, the server came back five minutes later and literally threw every thing else on our table and ignored us the rest of the evening. We had to call another server to ask for another glass of wine. Please get servers that speak and understand the English language better.

My husband and I had discovered this restaurant several months ago....and since then have been back many times.....Everytime the food more delicious than before (did not think that could be possible, as it's been so very good always). We will be bringing my Italian Father in Law there this Sunday for his 83rd birthday....I KNOW he will LOVE it!

WE have really given this place a chance. WE have gone back after having lousy service and so so food. WE tried it again last Tuesday and I will not return. We ordered oil with garlic nd recieved it after our salads and my pasta that was supposed to have asiao in it tasted only like a white sauce. Other times the specials are out. The prices are good but the service has never been. I like the atmosphere and want to support the downtown but I am giving up.

this place was great. not many nice places in the downtown elgin area, but this is one of them. hopefully others will follow suit. the food was great, prices were reasonable, and i loved the atmosphere in a rehabilitated old building with the original brick walls.

My wife and I visited Cafe Magdalena recently on a Friday night. The restaurant was half empty; I can understand why. I have no complaints about the service. I also have no complaints about the prices. What I found to be below average was the food. First of all, the warm bread brought to our table should have been accompanied with fresh grated cheese and oil and not just a small portion of butter. The polenta appetizer portion size was a joke. It was nothing more than small, tiny wedge suitable for one person. The stuffed chicken breast, which was supposedly stuffed with 4 cheeses, was thin, tough, and the breading was soggy. The mashed potatoes and vegetables on the side were just okay. My wife's pasta dish seriously lacked sauce and flavor - not a good thing in an Italian restaurant. Cafe Magdalena is going to have to improve the quality and portion sizes of some of its items if it's going to survive. Competition is going to be fierce once other new restaurants open in the wake of all of the new condos and townhomes being built in downtown Elgin. The people moving into those new homes are going to be very demanding and fussy when it comes to food - just look at downtown Arlington Heights as an example. If your food improves, you will be successful and profitable - if it doesn't, your competition will win.

I have not eaten at this restaurant; however, I called numerous times to try to get a gift certificate and was unsuccessful. The person who answered the phone kept telling me that I needed to speak to the Manager and that he wasn't in but to call back in a half an hour and, when I did so, he told me to call again between 4 and 5. It was not; however, as well said -- he had TERRIBLE communication skills. I can't believe that only a Manager can issue Gift Certificates, but that seems to be the case. Since I can't get a hold of the Manager, I am going to contact another restaurant in the area.

A friend of ours called up and wanted to try out a new restaraunt. After a short search on the interenet we found Cafe Magdalena. We decided to try it out and we were very satisfied. The food was delicious, the staff was attentive and personable. We really liked the atmosphere. All of us had different dishes and every one of them was beyond our expectations. If you want to find that new favorite restaurant, give Cafe Magdalena a try !!!!

I love the food and atmosphere. It is a great place with great food. I love it.

I have eaten here 3 times for lunch. The food is fantastic - very flavorful! The portions are intelligent. They do not overwhelm you with gobs of food that you cannot eat. The food is healthy - very fresh and natural ingredients. The atmosphere is simple, authentic and pleasant. This is the kind of restaurant you would expect to find in a trendy city neighborhood - but it is in Elgin. What a treat for us here. The wait staff has room for improvement, but it is a comfort that the owners are around to top off my stuffed egg plant parmasan with fresh ground pepper and grated cheese! I'll be back again and again.